Cartridge magazine



March 19, 1968 H. A. INTO 3,373,521

CARTRIDGE MAGAZINE Filed Sept. 16, 1966 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR. HENRYA. INTO A T TORNEV March 19, 1968 Filed Sept. 16, 1966 H. A. INTCCARTRIDGE MAGAZINE 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 I-NVENTOR.

HENRY A. INTO v wah- 3,373,521 Patented Mar. 19, 1968 3,373,521CARTRIDGE MAGAZINE Henry A. Into, Wallingford, Conn, assignor to 01inMathieson Chemical ilorporation, a corporation of Virginia Filed Sept.16, 1966, Ser. No. 580,093 11 Claims. (Cl. 4250) ABSTRACT OF THEDISCLGSURE For use in conjunction with a firearm having a multiluggedbolt, a cartridge magazine comprising a side wall, a pair of end walls,a bottom wall, and a partition member spaced apart from the side walland extending between the end walls to define a cartridge-receivingchamber with a spring-biased follower disposed therein. The side wallincludes rear cartridge control means, cartridge guiding means, and aninwardly turned, axially inclined feed lip at the upper end thereof. Thepartition member includes frontal cartridge control means, cartridgeguiding means, and a downwardly and inwardly tapering upper portionforward of the frontal cartridge control means.

This invention relates generally to cartridge magazines, and moreparticularly to magazines suitable for large caliber cartridges, whichcan be used in conjunction with firearms having m-ulti-lug rotary bolts.

It is found that when a standard single column magazine is used infirearms of the multi-lug rotary bolt type, the magazine does not havesufiicient feed lip separation to permit the bolt lugs to pass by andpick up the top round. Conventional magazines wherein the cartridges arestaggered are undesirable because of the excessive width required of thereceiver.

Therefore, it is an object of this invention to provide a magazinesuitable for large caliber cartridges which can be used in conjunctionwith multi-lug rotary bolt firearms.

An additional object of this invention is to provide magazines whereinthe cartridge containing portion is offset to one side of a verticalplane passing through the center of the cartridge chamber of thefirearm.

More specifically, it is an object of this invention to provide amagazine utilizing a single feed lip which is so constructed that thecartridges are properly fed to the cartridge chamber of the firearm.

These and other objects will become more apparent by reference to thefollowing description of a preferred embodiment of the invention and tothe accompanying drawings in which:

FIGURE 1 is an exploded perspective view of the various components of amagazine constructed in accordance with this invention;

FIGURE 2 is a perspective view of the bottom closure, rearward endplate, and partition member in the assembled position;

FIGURE 3 is a right side perspective view of the assembled magazineviewed as seen looking downwardly from the top;

FIGURE 4 is a horizontal sectional view taken along the lines 4-4 ofFIGURE 3;

FIGURE 5 is an elevation view with parts broken away as taken along thelines 5-5 of FIGURE 4;

FIGURE 6 is a horizontal sectional view of the magazine showing acartridge positioned therein; and

FIGURE 7 is a vertical sectional diagrammatic view of the magazinemounted within the firearm showing the relationship of the verticalcenter line of the bolt to the vertical center line of the cartridges.

Referring generally to the drawings, and more particularly to FIGURE 1,the cartridge magazine 2 comprises a generally rectangular wall member4, a bottom closure 6 having a partition 8 secured thereto, a rearwardend plate 10, and a follower 12 spring biased by a suitable springmember 14.

The wall member 4 includes first and second side walls 16 and 18respectively, a forward end wall 20 and a rearward end wall 22. Thebottom portions of side walls 16 and 18 are mounted within the side wallportion 24 of the bottom closure 6. The partition 8 is positioned closerto the side wall 18 of wall member 4 than to side wall 16 forming achamber 26 for the reception of the cartridges between the partition 8and the internal surface of side wall 16. The rearward end plate 10 ispositioned against the internal surface of the rearward end wall 22 andthe rearward edge of the partition 8. The rearward end plate 10 includesa vertically extending flange 28 which is positioned against theleft-hand surface of the partition 8 adjacent its rearward end toprovide a support for the partition 8 throughout its vertical height.

As can be seen particularly in FIGURE 4, side wall 16 is provided with araised cartridge guiding section 30 including a case engaging portion 32and a shoulder engaging portion 34. A raised planar rear control surface36 is provided at the rearward end of side wall 16 and eX- tendssubstantially the entire vertical height thereof.

The partition 8 is provided with a. cartridge guiding section 38 whichincludes a case engaging portion 40 and a shoulder engaging portion 42and is oppositely disposed from the cartridge guiding section 30. Arecess 44 is provided in partition 8 immediately to the rear of thecartridge guiding section 38. The recess 44 forms a fulcrum type frontcontrol surface 46 as depicted in FIGURE 3 and FIGURE 4.

The top portion of partition 8 is bent over to form a top surface 46.The top surface 48 includes a rearward portion 59 which extendsrearwardly from the front control surface 46 and is generallyperpendicular to the vertical medium plane of chamber 26. The forwardportion 52 of the top surface 48 tapers downwardly and inwardly towardthe side wall 16 as shown in FIGURE 3. As the partition 8 is permanentlyconnected to the bottom closure 6 and, as the top surface 48 is hookedover the side wall 18 as shown particularly in FIGURE 7, the variouscomponents of the magazine are held together as a unit.

The top of side wall 16 is curved inwardly to provide a feed lip 54. Thevertical height of feed lip 54 from the horizontal plane of theuppermost portion of top surface 48 increases in a forwardly direction.

The follower 12 is mounted within the chamber 26 and has a generalconfiguration corresponding to the internal surface of side wall 16 andinner surface of partition 8. Two prongs 56 and 58 extend outwardly fromfollower 12 into grooves 64 and 62 in partition 8 for guiding purposes.An upwardly extending flange 64 is provided on the right-hand side ofthe follower 12 to abut the underside of feed lip 54 when there are nocartridges in the chamber 26 to limit the upward movement thereof.

The spring member 14 is positioned between the follower 12 and bottomclosure 6 and urges the follower 12 upwardly. The design of the springmember 14 is such that the center of the spring force acts upon thefollower 12 at a point rearward of the front control surface 46.

As has been stated above, the magazine of this invention is especiallyadapted for holding large caliber cartridges such as shown in FIGURE 6.Cartridges of this type typically include a cartridge case having a neckportion 66, a tapering shoulder portion 68, and an enlarged belt portion70 at the rearward end. When the cartridges are stacked in the magazine2 of the invention, the belt portion 70 is contained between the innersurface of the partition 8 and the rear control surface 36. The portionof the cartridge case immediately rearward of the shoulder portion 68 iscontained between the case engaging portions 32 and 40 of the side wall16 and partition 8 respectively. The shoulder portion 68 of thecartridge case abuts the shoulder engaging portions 34 and 42.

As shown in FIGURE 7, after the magazine is placed in the appropriateopening in the receiver 72, a vertical plane extending in the directionof elongation of the magazine and disposed between the two side walls 16and 18 is coincident with a vertical plane passing through the axis ofthe bolt 74. However, the vertical plane passing through the axis of thestacked cartridges is offset to the right of the vertical plane of thebolt axis.

As the cartridge is moved forwardly by the bolt 74, the belt portion 70of the cartridge case passes off the rear control surface 36 and thecartridge pivots about the front control surface 46 sufficiently toallow the nose of the cartridge to move toward the center line of thebolt which, of course, is coincident with the cartridge receivingchamber of the firearm. In addition, by virtue of the fact that the feedlip 54 has an increasing vertical height as the cartridge is movedforward, it moves upwardly and to the left as viewed in FIGURE 6 topermit proper entrance into the cartridge receiving chamber of thefirearm. The forward tapering portion 52 of the top surface 48 providesadditional guidance for the cartridge as it is fed.

Various other modifications and alterations will suggest themselvesreadily to persons skilled in the art. It is intended therefore that theforegoing description of a preferred embodiment be considered asexemplary only, and that the scope of this invention be ascertained fromthe following claims.

What is claimed is:

1. A cartridge magazine for a firearm comprising first and second sidewalls, a forward end wall, a rearward end wall, a bottom closure, apartition member disposed between said first and second side wallsspaced apart from said second side wall and forming a chamber with saidfirst side wall for the reception of a plurality of cartridges,oppositely disposed cartridge guiding means on said first side wall andsaid particular member, a rear control surface extending inwardly fromsaid first side wall adjacent the rearward end thereof, a verticallyextending front control surface, said partition member having its topportion bent over to form a top surface, that portion of said topsurface forwardly of said front control surface tapering downwardly andinwardly toward said chamber, the top surface of said first side wallbeing bent over to form a single feed lip, a follower member within saidchamber, and spring means biasing said follower upwardly.

2. The magazine of claim 1 wherein the height of said feed lip increasesfrom its rearward end to its forward end.

3. The magazine of claim 2 wherein said partition member is disposedcloser to said second side wall than to said first side wall,

4. The magazine of claim 2 wherein the center of spring force acts uponthe follower at a point rearward of the front control surface.

5. In a firearm having a multi-lug rotary bolt reciprocally movablealong an axis, a magazine comprising first and second side walls, aforward end wall, a rearward end wall, a bottom closure, a partitionmember disposed between said first and second side walls spaced apartfrom said second side wall and forming a chamber with said first sidewall for the reception of a plurality of cartridges, oppositely disposedcartridge guiding means on said first side wall and said partition, arear control surface extending inwardly from said first side walladjacent the rearward end thereof, a recess in said partition memberrearward of said cartridge guiding means defining along the rearwardvertical edge thereof a front control surface, said partition memberhaving its top portion bent over to form a top surface, said top surfaceforwardly of said front control surface tapering downwardly and inwardlytoward said chamber, the top surface of said first side wall being bentover to form a feed lip, a follower member within said chamber, and aspring member for biasing said follower upwardly, said chamber beingarranged such that a vertical plane extending in the direction ofelongation of the magazine and passing through the midpoint of saidchamber is offset with respect to the axis of said bolt.

6. The firearm of claim 5 wherein the height of said feed lip increasesfrom its rearward end to its forward end.

7. The firearm of claim 6 wherein said partition member is disposedcloser to said second side wall than to said first side wall.

8. The firearm of claim 5 wherein the center of spring force acts uponthe follower at a point rearward of the front control surface.

9. A cartridge magazine for a firearm having a multilug rotary boltreciprocably movable along the axis, which magazine comprises:

(a) a sidewall member, a forward end wall, a rearward end wall, and abottom closure;

(b) a partition member spaced apart from said sidewall member andextending between said end walls to form a chamber for the reception ofa plurality of cartridges;

(c) oppositely disposed cartridge guide means on said sidewall memberand on said partition member;

(d) a rear cartridge control surface on said sidewall member adjacent tothe rearward end thereof, said rear cartridge control surface extendingtoward said partition member;

(e) a front cartridge control surface on said partition member, saidfront cartridge control surface being disposed re-arwardly of saidcartridge guide means;

(f) a top laterally outwardly extending surface on said partitionmember, the portion of said surface disposed forwardly of said frontcartridge control surface being tapered downwardly toward said chamber;

(g) a cartridge feed lip integral with the top surface of said sidewallmember, said feed lip extending laterally toward said partition member;

(h) a follower disposed in said chamber;

(i) a spring to bias said follower upwardly; and

(j) said chamber being arranged such that when the magazine is mountedon the firearm, a vertical plane bisecting the chamber is laterallyoffset from the axis of the multi-lugged rotary bolt.

10. The magazine of claim 9 wherein the height of said feed lipincreases from its rearward end to its forward end.

11. The magazine of claim 9 wherein the center of spring force acts uponsaid follower at a point rearward of said front control surface.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,765,558 10/1956 Roper et a1.42-50 2,997,803 8/1961 Florence 42-S0 X 3,019,542 2/1962 Manthos 42-50 X3,110,122 11/1963 Musgrave 42-50 BENJAMIN A. BOROHELT, Primary Examiner.

SAMUEL W. ENGLE, Examiner.

T. H. WEBB, Assistant Examiner.

